Up-to-the-minute political news … in-depth analysis of important national issues … profiles of the presidential candidates … national debates … election-night coverage … and a look at what the election means to Central Illinois voters.

As our country enters the back stretch of the election year, WTVP’s political coverage continues to reach out to all Americans through our ongoing public affairs series under the banner
PBS VOTE 2008. Educators will also have a chance to make the most of election programming through lesson plans, interactive opportunities, and other resources available through the PBS website.

The PBS election 2008 initiative—designed to help create a more informed, aware, enlightened and prepared voter—provides in-depth analysis and news from its award-winning public affairs series and from new election-focused specials. In addition to covering both conventions, PBS will provide an election-night special on
Tuesday, Nov. 4.

Locally, WTVP’s At Issue, hosted by H Wayne Wilson, will look both national and Central Illinois issues.

In addition, PBS is planning to cover all general election debates—Presidential Debates that are tentatively scheduled for
Friday, Sept. 26, Tuesday, Oct. 7, and Wednesday, Oct. 15 and a
Vice-Presidential Debate that is tentatively scheduled for
Thursday, Oct. 2.

Frontline’s “The Choice 2008” puts the election into sharp focus with a dual-biography of Senators John McCain and Barack Obama on Tuesday, Oct. 14 and again Monday, Nov. 3, both from 8-10 p.m. And in a look at major issues facing the country today,
Frontline’s “Heat” explores climate change on Tuesday, Oct. 21 from 8-10 p.m. and “The War Briefing”
discusses what the next president will need to know about Iraq and the foreign policy picture on
Tuesday, Oct. 28 from 9-10 p.m.

A new one-hour special, Latinos ‘08, illustrates the influence of Latinos as one of the crucial voting blocs in this year’s elections—Wednesday, Oct. 8 at 8 p.m.

Ongoing series will also track the candidates and the issues throughout the fall:

The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer—Mondays-Fridays at 6 p.m.

Nightly Business Report—Mondays-Fridays at 5:30 p.m.

Washington Week—Fridays from 7-7:30 p.m.

NOW on PBS—Fridays from 7:30-8 p.m.

Bill Moyers Journal—Fridays from 8-9
p.m.

Tavis Smiley—Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10-10:30 p.m.

Charlie Rose—Mondays-Fridays from 11:00 p.m.-midnight and again at noon the following day.

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For further information contact Janet McGrath, (309) 495-0593 or janet.mcgrath@wtvp.org